Isaiah 60:9
in Isaiah 60Surely the islands will wait for Me, with the ships of Tarshish in the lead, to bring your children from afar, with their silver and gold, to the honor of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified you.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, for the name of Jehovah thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.
KJV
Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.
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This verse in Isaiah 60
Commentary
12 notes on this verseSurely the isles shall wait for me;.... The Targum is, "for my Word.'' The Messiah, and his coming.
This site's exposition
Who are these who fly like clouds
on Isaiah 60:8-9
The question about those who “fly like clouds, like doves to their shelters” pictures ships under sail seen from far off. Verse 9 answers: “Surely the islands will wait for Me, with the ships of Tarshish in the lead”. The trade route named in chapter 23 now carries children home.
This site's exposition
with the ships of Tarshish in the lead
Clarke notes that twenty-five manuscripts and the Syriac read as at the first, recalling the ships that brought gold and silver to Solomon. For Barnes, ships of Tarshish means any large trading vessel. Gill cites the Targum, where the islands wait for the Word, and takes it of the Messiah.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
We need to observe how the Lord, out of his benevolence, foretells all things before they happen. When he threatens doom, this is so that his servants, afraid of what might happen, will turn and repent and manage to deflect the terrible trials. Again, blessings …
He calls the ships "from Tharsis," those that come from Tharsis in India, which is situated in the far east and puts us in mind of Jonah. These will come to Jerusalem not for its sake but for God, who wished to ratify the promise …
(Verse 8, 9.) Who are these who fly like clouds, and like doves to their windows? For the coastlands wait for me, and the ships of the sea are in the lead, to bring your sons from afar, with their silver and gold, to the name of the Lord your God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he has glorified you. LXX: Who are these who fly like clouds, and like doves with their young to me? The coastlands have waited for me, and the ships of Tarshish in the first place, to bring your sons from afar, and their silver and gold with them, for the sake of the holy name of the Lord, and because the Holy One of Israel has been glorified. Because the Lord entered Egypt on a light cloud, and through the clouds he commanded the prophets not to rain upon Israel, the Church, to whom the truth of God had come, marvels at the first people gathered for circumcision, that a crowd of Gentiles from the whole world flies to her. And with the wings of the Holy Spirit taken up, they hasten, according to Symmachus and Theodotion, to her windows; according to Aquila, to her waterfalls, that they may enter the Church. Or the teachers with their disciples, that is, doves with their chicks, will fly to the church from the islands of the gentiles, which, according to the prophecies of the prophets, will await the Lord. The ships of Tarshish, that is, of the sea, about which we have spoken more fully in the vision of Tyre, will also bring the children of the Church at the beginning of faith, carrying gold and silver. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Rom. X, 10). In the sixty-seventh psalm, it is written: 'The wings of the dove are silver, and its back is gold in brightness' (Psalm 70:14). […]
It is possible to contemplate the fulfillment of the divine word when one sees, in consequence of the conversion of the nations, such souls dedicating themselves to the message of godliness and being diligently busy in the ministry of the altar of God. It is then especially on account of the conversion of such souls and their salvation that the church of God receives glory.
The Medieval Church1 voice
And he sets out the help in coming, which they had from the gentiles: the islands, the various nations by the sea, and even far off, wait for me, as though subject to the choice of my will; the ships of the sea from the …
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
In naming this he implies all that had commerce with other nations. From far - From the remotest parts. Glorified - He will make thee honourable in the eyes of the world, especially in setting up the ministry of the gospel in the midst of thee.
If we honour him with our spirits, we shall honour him with our substance. To whom they shall devote and dedicate themselves and all they are worth-- to the name of the Lord thy God, to God as the Lord of all and the church's God and King, even to the Holy One of Israel (whom Israel worships as a Holy One, in the beauty of holiness), because he has glorified thee.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Surely the isles - On the meaning of the word ‘isles’ in Isaiah, see the notes at Isa 41:1. Shall wait for me - (See the notes at Isa 41:4). And the ships of Tarshish - (See the notes at Isa 2:16). The main idea here is clear. These ships were the principal vessels known to the Hebrews as employed in foreign commerce, and the prophet employs the name to denote ships in general that sailed to distant ports.
The ships of Tarshish first “The ships of Tarshish among the first” - For בראשנה barishonah twenty-five MSS. and the Syriac read כבראשנה kebarishonah, “as at the first.” The ships of Tarshish AS at the first; that is, as they brought gold and silver in the days of Solomon.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
and in my grace Because I favored you; in old French, en mon apayemant.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לִ֣י׀ | li | for <the> me | ||
| אִיִּ֣ים | ʾiyim | islands | H339 → | 36 times |
| יְקַוּ֗וּ | yekavu | they will wait | H6960 → | 49 times |
| וָאֳנִיּ֤וֹת | vooniyot | and [the] ships of | H591 → | 31 times |
| תַּרְשִׁישׁ֙ | tarshish | Tarshish | H8659 → | 28 times |
| בָּרִ֣אשֹׁנָ֔ה | barishonah | [will be] at the first [place] | H7223 → | 182 times |
| לְהָבִ֤יא | lehavi' | to bring | H935 → | 2568 times |
| בָנַ֙יִךְ֙ | vanayikh | children your | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| מֵֽרָח֔וֹק | merachok | from a distance | H7350 → | 84 times |
| כַּסְפָּ֥ם | kaspam | silver their | H3701 → | 403 times |
| וּזְהָבָ֖ם | uzehavam | and gold their | H2091 → | 389 times |
| אִתָּ֑ם | ʾitam | [will be] with them | H854 → | 929 times |
| לְשֵׁם֙ | leshem | to [the] name of | H8034 → | 864 times |
| יְהוָ֣ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהַ֔יִךְ | ʾelohayikh | God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
| וְלִקְד֥וֹשׁ | velikdoosh | and to [the] holy [one] of | H6918 → | 116 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| פֵאֲרָֽךְ׃ | fearakh | he has glorified you | H6286 → | 14 times |
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
לִ֣י׀for <the> me
li
אִיִּ֣יםislands
ʾiyimH339 →36 times
יְקַוּ֗וּthey will wait
yekavuH6960 →49 times
וָאֳנִיּ֤וֹתand [the] ships of
vooniyotH591 →31 times
תַּרְשִׁישׁ֙Tarshish
tarshishH8659 →28 times
בָּרִ֣אשֹׁנָ֔ה[will be] at the first [place]
barishonahH7223 →182 times
לְהָבִ֤יאto bring
lehavi'H935 →2568 times
בָנַ֙יִךְ֙children your
vanayikhH1121 →4930 times
מֵֽרָח֔וֹקfrom a distance
merachokH7350 →84 times
כַּסְפָּ֥םsilver their
kaspamH3701 →403 times
וּזְהָבָ֖םand gold their
uzehavamH2091 →389 times
אִתָּ֑ם[will be] with them
ʾitamH854 →929 times
לְשֵׁם֙to [the] name of
leshemH8034 →864 times
יְהוָ֣הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהַ֔יִךְGod your
ʾelohayikhH430 →2601 times
וְלִקְד֥וֹשׁand to [the] holy [one] of
velikdooshH6918 →116 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
פֵאֲרָֽךְ׃he has glorified you
fearakhH6286 →14 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 51:5My righteousness draws near, My salvation is on the way, and My arms will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look for Me and wait in hope for My arm.
it leads to
- Romans 10:17–18
Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
- Isaiah 46:13
I am bringing My righteousness near; it is not far away, and My salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion and adorn Israel with My splendor.
- Romans 10:17–18
Through
Isaiah 55:5Surely you will summon a nation you do not know, and nations who do not know you will run to you. For the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, has bestowed glory…
it leads to
- Isaiah 60:5
Then you will look and be radiant, and your heart will tremble and swell with joy, because the riches of the sea will be brought to you, and the wealth of the nations will…
- Zechariah 2:11
“On that day many nations will join themselves to the LORD, and they will become My people. I will dwell among you, and you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent Me…
- Romans 15:20
In this way I have aspired to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.
- Isaiah 60:5
Through
Isaiah 11:11On that day the Lord will extend His hand a second time to recover the remnant of His people from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and…
it leads to
- Micah 7:12
On that day they will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, even from Egypt to the Euphrates, from sea to sea and mountain to mountain.
- Zechariah 10:8–12
I will whistle for them to gather, for I have redeemed them; and they will be as numerous as they once were.
- Hosea 3:4–5
For the Israelites must live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, and without ephod or idol.
- Micah 7:12
Where this verse is studied
About Isaiah
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Eusebius of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:50; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Procopius of Gaza, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 60:1.22; Theodore of Heraclea, FRAGMENTS ON ISAIAH and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.